Economic Progress Institute: Equity Impact Statements make for better legislation
"This initiative will ensure that our policies are crafted with a comprehensive understanding of their effects on all communities, especially the youth..."
The Economic Progress Institute (EPI) is working to pass resolutions that would amend House and Senate rules for the 2025-2026 session to allow both the Speaker or the Senate President and the Rhode Island Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (RIBLIA) Caucus to request equity impact statements for up to five bills each per session.
Equity Impact Statements are tools, like fiscal notes, that use data to measure how legislation could affect historical disparities embedded in Rhode Island law and society. Assessing race, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, and other factors, equity impact statements aim to help legislators answer basic but crucial questions on bills they’re considering in the General Assembly: Will this measure likely increase or decrease equity in our State? Equity impact statements are intended to:
Help to decrease disparities and increase equity by identifying how proposed legislation could improve or worsen existing historical disparities.
Prevent unintended harm. Even well-intended laws can have unintended negative consequences. Without a lens focused on equity, well-meaning policies can reinforce disparities. An impact statement is a proactive tool to assess and correct inequities before they become incorporated into law.
Ensure that each proposal is evaluated through an equity lens to promote informed decision-making. This will encourage legislators to make better decisions considering the full range of their constituents’ needs.
Improve transparency by showing the public how decisions are likely to affect them, which strengthens the democratic process and empowers communities.
Raise awareness by bringing attention to existing disparities and spurring more comprehensive discussions about how everyone should have the same chance to succeed in Rhode Island.
The Legislative Council would produce the impact statements in coordination with the Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias. Rhode Island would join a growing number of states in implementing equity evaluations. Nine states—Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, and Virginia—have passed legislation using impact statements to assess equity.
Ahead of the Rule Committee meetings, the EPI held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss the need for equity impact statements. Here’s the video:
Many people spoke at the press conference, but I want to highlight the words of Yarleen Rosario, a youth working with Rhode Island for Community and Justice, published here with permission:
“Thank you for the opportunity to speak today about why equity and the inclusion of youth voices are essential in the legislative process. I want to share not only the importance of this issue but also a personal perspective as a youth who has experienced the power of being heard and the pain of being ignored.
“As a young person, I’ve been fortunate to witness my peers accomplish extraordinary things with incredible ambition and passion. I've known a friend who created a business plan to address a lack of opportunity in her community and won a national competition. I’ve seen two others who filmed a documentary to raise awareness of mental health disparities in marginalized communities through community outreach in our Rhode Island community.
“I’ve seen peers who organized a mission trip to Guatemala, serving the young and elderly, and many more. These young people saw problems and acted—not because they had formal authority or extensive resources, but because they believed they could make a difference.
“We all benefit when youth are given trust, space to lead, and mentors to turn their visions into reality. These examples show that young people have the passion and wisdom to address real issues. But they also demonstrate something equally important: when youth are shown that people in positions of power - like policymakers - care about their voices, it inspires consistent civic participation and a lifelong dedication to the community.”
The Role of Equity in Creating Change
“To discuss youth involvement, we must address equity. Equity is not only a moral imperative - it is a practical necessity in the legislative process and the foundation of meaningful change. It's not just about equality-treating everyone the same. It's about acknowledging that different people have different needs, experiences, and starting points. Equity is about leveling the playing field and addressing systemic barriers that have historically held some groups back.
“As a low-income student, I saw how inequitable systems left many behind, especially non-English speakers. Imagine being a hardworking student whose parents chased the American Dream, only to have an ELA teacher who doesn't speak your language. These students are set up to struggle.
“I watched my mother, as PTO president at Gilbert Stuart Middle School, tirelessly advocate for better resources for students like me. Her fight for equity inspired me and set me on the path to becoming a social justice advocate.”
The Transformative Power of Mentorship and Youth Inclusion
“But even with this inspiration, I didn't know where to start. I didn't know where my voice would be heard? What space did I have to create change especially during the pandemic, when everything felt paralyzing and hopeless.
“That changed when I found Rhode Island for Community and Justice (RICJ). Through RICJ, I discovered what it meant to be trusted to lead and be surrounded by peers who believed in their power to create meaningful change.
“You're telling me I could make a difference? That my experiences were valuable? Their trust in me as a leader revealed a potential | hadn't seen in myself, proving that lived experiences can drive meaningful progress.
“Then, I expanded my journey by working with the juvenile hearing board (JHB), a community based diversion program centered on restorative justice. It provides youth who have made mistakes with guidance, resources, accountability, and second chances. Through my involvement, I've seen how supporting youth and addressing their challenges directly can reduce recidivism and empower better choices. It reaffirmed my belief that systems must not only hold individuals accountable but also give them the tools to succeed.
“RICJ and JHB taught me that young people need spaces to lead and be heard, not as sole decision-makers but as crucial contributors to shaping policies that affect us because we are often the first group affected by them — Whether it’s wage laws that help us support our families, education policies that determine our futures, or climate action that shapes the world we’ll inherit.”
A Call to Action: Investing in Youth is Investing in Our Future
“As a Rhode Islander and U.S. citizen, I stand here with the belief that it is our duty—to advocate for our communities and act on it. We need to teach youth that change doesn't have to be overwhelming or an abstract idea. Even the smallest action can create something far bigger than ourselves.
“When youth witness systems that work to better their communities, they are inspired to believe in those systems. They participate. They lead. They innovate. And they give back.
“By adopting this bill, Rhode Island has the opportunity to become the 10th state to implement Equity Impact Statements, joining states like lowa, Colorado, Connecticut. This initiative will ensure that our policies are crafted with a comprehensive understanding of their effects on all communities, especially the youth who will inherit the outcomes of today's decisions.
“So today, I ask you to trust young people, to create spaces for our voices, and to guide us. Let us see a system that is fair, trustworthy, and inclusive. Let us help build it.”